Breastfeeding Twins

***This post is written in partnership with Medela. All opinions are my own. All feeding breasts mentioned are mine too***

“Here. Put mouth here.”

Like attaching an electrical cable to a socket feed, the midwife shoved my nipple to my 2 day old boy’s tiny lips.

This was our first attempt and I’ll never forget it.

Whilst feeling excited, intimidated and vulnerable are also emotions that spring to mind.

Popping out my gonzolas for the first time in the NICU ward totally freaked me out. Suddenly, I turned into an absolute prude. But as it happened, a boob fest in that little part of the hospital was the norm rather than the exception. Nothing was too precious to hide or be prudish about.

Then, just as me and K-Bear had some brief boobie feeding success, the scary realisation hit me: I was going to have to do this all over again…but with two on my tits.

Okay.

Now, looking back, breastfeeding twins is really like riding a bike.

Actually, it’s not at all.

But persistence is something necessary for riding two wheels or feeding two babies.

I remember when that big blue twin breast pillow made its debut that on my lap, welcoming my two tiny babies.

After a few attempts, they both latched then finally they started to suck. For a split second we were in sync – all three of us.

We made a perfect little triangle.

In those early days, finding that harmony, that rhythm, would only be a brief magical moment but it would be a start. With each feed, we made further steps in progress.

When I look back on those sleepless nights and endless days, I truly wonder how I breastfed twins. Especially on the many occasions when I was on my own.

But I did.

Even through the excruciating pain of nipple thrush, a quiet force of determination told me to keep going.

I had every opportunity to quit but I liked that special triangle my babies and I had created. It was intoxicating, initmate, irreplaceable.

My mother-in-law would often come over with a helping hand during those new born baby days.

She would take the responsibility of bringing each baby over to me, placing one at each of my side (now HER hands were icy cold!). She would hover over my shoulder, lovingly look at her grandchildren like any other doting grandmother. I thought nothing of it.

Then, one morning, in the midst of her usual task, she gave me an unusually solemn look.

“What’s one piece of advice you would offer to a new mum about feeding?”

Medela provides real solutions for breastfeeding mothers to get over any hurdles in the early days and to support their long term breastfeeding goals. Through its extensive range of breast pump products and other breastfeeding products, Medela is committed to promoting the benefits of breast milk and encouraging long term breastfeeding.

Comments

Great post, Grace. I don’t know how you did it either! Super impressive. I remember being hooked up to a double pump for two months. That was all sorts of unfun! After two months of that, we managed to establish breastfeeding though. So that’s my advice: if breastfeeding is important to you, keep trying. Just keep trying. But don’t harangue yourself if it’s not working.

And to anyone who makes those breastfeeding surveys: you need to add an answer to the ‘Why do/did you breastfeed your children?’ You need to add: because I saw other people doing it and I am far too competitive to believe that I couldn’t.Emily recently posted..Top web reads of May

Lovely story Grace. It must have been quite a challenge feeding two at once!

Unfortunately my memories of breastfeeding are not so pleasant. I had trouble breastfeeding both my girls due to a depleting milk supply and issues with Popette as she was born premmie.

It would have been nice if I could have breastfed them longer than I did. When you finally connect with your little cherubs and see them sucking away, its such a wonderful feeling. xJulie @ Off to the park recently posted..Being grateful for feeling better and our home disco

What a lovely triangle you three made! I can tell you will hold onto those memories forever. It is tricky enough to find your rhythm with one, let alone two, well done to you and the boys!Renee at Mummy, Wife, Me recently posted..The (nappy) bag lady

It’s funny how much of a rollercoaster breastfeeding can be isn’t it. I know I was just saying to you the other day how had it’s been with Zee, and that I was really looking forward to finishing, and this week, well it’s been good and I don’t want it to end. I think that’s what I’d tell a new Mum, that there are good days and bad days, and not to give up on the bad days. I’d tell them that it will take up to three months for it to become easier, but once you reach that point you’ll look back and marvel at how fast it went.Kylie Purtell recently posted..Tales from the ICU

My breastfeeding journey ended early because of Hayleys allergies, but I really loved the bond that we had while we were doing it. I miss those days already and shes only 10 months old.Toni @ Finding Myself Young recently posted..The Twirly Trio (Playgro toy review)

wow, breastfeeding twins!! I had enough trouble with only one at a time, but it is a special time and over all too quickly….Mandy, Barbie Bieber and Beyond recently posted..Stumble Into The Weekend – Link Up

Well I will be breastfeeding again in 5 weeks time EEk so I’m gonna read all the advice above to make sure I’m covered third time lucky. 🙂
My advice is to relax and don’t pressure yourself to breastfeed. Look at it as a bonding moment with your baby, rather than a routine of getting your boob in your bub’s mouth. It’s a time for discovery for both mum and bub so go with the flow. Ask advice every time and any time you need it.Bec @ The Plumbette recently posted..Turn that envy into your Bucket List

Grace, you’re a champion I reckon! Your little guys had a good start. I was only able to breastfeed Bell for a month, as I didn’t have enough milk, and she was a hungry bubba, but it was such a special time xxLisa@RandomActsOfZen recently posted..Happy Birthday Blog, I Like You.

I’ve always wanted twin because exactly this! I love breastfeeding and to be able to sit there with two babies, swoon. I did tandem feed my Third and Fourth, but it is different. The perfect triangle. Beautiful!Sarah from Creating Contentment recently posted..Conversations with Prayer

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About Me…

Indonesian-born, Grace spent extensive time living and working overseas, primarily in Japan. She now resides in Sydney where she is mum to identical twin boys and wife to an avid surfer. While she has happily replaced office life with motherhood, Grace has discovered that a 10 year career in corporate sales and being fluent in 3 languages is futile when dealing with toddler tantrums and singing “The Wheels On The Bus”